Burnaby firefighters are about to get a helping hand when it comes to their physical fitness and health, thanks to the folks at the new Fortius health centre.

The local fire department, the City of Burnaby and Burnaby Firefighters Local 323 have partnered with Fortius Sport and Health to help reduce injuries, enhance health and “keep firefighters at work and performing at their best,” according to a press release.

The partnership is heralded by organizers as a “ground-breaking new initiative” that will benefit firefighters in Burnaby, and eventually fire departments across the province, country and globe.

“We are very proud of this dynamic new partnership program that is made in Burnaby, by Burnaby and for Burnaby,” said Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan, in the release. “It has the potential to serve as the global standard for fire departments around the world.”

The program, which was officially announced at a press conference this morning (Wednesday), is made up of four components – comprehensive prevention screening and diagnosis, functional physical assessments, early intervention therapy services, and injury prevention protocols and job specific fitness programs.

Firefighters will have full use of Fortius’ facilities including the Lab @ Fortius, the Cauldron @ Fortius, and the training centre, along with access to an entire team of sport and exercise medicine practitioners at the Fortius Institute.

“We’re excited about the partnership with Burnaby Firefighters, and we’re pleased to establish yet another layer of community connections within the City of Burnaby,” said Scott Cousens, founder and chair of Fortius Sport and Health, in the release.

Cousens said he expects the Fortius performance health program for Burnaby firefighters to become a flagship for similar programs across Canada.

“We are looking forward to delivering a great program for these industrial athletes in a way that will serve as the model for City of Burnaby professionals and employees in other fields,” Cousens added in the release.

The program aims to prevent injuries by creating a health and fitness program that firefighters can follow both at work and in their personal lives. In addition to personalized training programs, Fortius will also provide firefighters with access to different therapies to prevent any work-related injuries, the release noted.

“Our goal in the fire department is to provide the highest level of emergency service to the citizens of Burnaby,” said Doug McDonald, chief of the Burnaby Fire Department, in the release. “This initiative is about helping our firefighters perform at their best in protecting and serving the community. This great opportunity will help us accomplish those goals by preventing injuries and improving our overall health. We are thrilled to partner with Fortius Sport and Health on this initiative.”

Throughout the initial months of the partnership, representatives from B.C. Sports Cardiology will collect data to measure the health outcomes and cost-savings results related to the program.

For more information on Fortius Sport and Health and all its programs visit, www.fortiussport.com.

For the original article click here: http://www.burnabynow.com/news/fortius-partners-with-firefighters-in-new-health-program-1.921155